Replies

I don't want a hybrid for it's 'fuel efficiency' though, if it's a little more efficient than what I have now, that would be a bonus. I like the idea that, at most around town speeds, in most towns, the gas engine would never engage. If the car is running on electricity around town, that means that car exhaust and pollutants are not going into the air. It would keep the air in cities much cleaner. That, to me, is as much a benefit as getting a few more mpg, but I'd get that too!

So the poor folks downwind from the power plants get that much more fly ash from the increased kilowatt hours usage from everyone plugging in their battery chargers.

I'd rather the city folks keep their own pollution. It does not seem right that they import their power and let the neighbors of the power plants deal with their increased pollution.

Well, I don't know about this. I had a 2003 Escape V6 that averaged about 21 mpg overall. My new 2006 Escape Hybrid got 35.43 mpg on its first tank and I have gotten exactly 30.44 mpg in all driving at 1,500 miles. So I don't know where the author is coming from except he doesn't like hybrids.

I didn't buy it for the fuel economy but that is a bonus. I just happened to want to own it because I didn't see any downsides and it has plenty of power. And dead quiet at stoplights since the engine isn't running.